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Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution.

ABSTRACT: Although climate change is considered to have been a large-scale driver of African human evolution, landscape-scale shifts in ecological resources that may have shaped novel hominin adaptations are rarely investigated. We use well-dated, high-resolution, drill-core datasets to understand ecological dynamics associated with a major adaptive transition in the archeological record ~24 km from the coring site. Outcrops preserve evidence of the replacement of Acheulean by Middle Stone Age (MSA) technological, cognitive, and social innovations between 500 and 300 thousand years (ka) ago, contemporaneous with large-scale taxonomic and adaptive turnover in mammal herbivores. Beginning ~400 ka ago, tectonic, hydrological, and ecological changes combined to disrupt a relatively stable resource base, prompting fluctuations of increasing magnitude in freshwater availability, grassland communities, and woody plant cover. Interaction of these factors offers a resource-oriented hypothesis for the evolutionary success of MSA adaptations, which likely contributed to the ecological flexibility typical of Homo sapiens foragers.

SUBMITTER: Potts R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7577727 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution.

Potts Richard R Dommain René R Moerman Jessica W JW Behrensmeyer Anna K AK Deino Alan L AL Riedl Simon S Beverly Emily J EJ Brown Erik T ET Deocampo Daniel D Kinyanjui Rahab R Lupien Rachel R Owen R Bernhart RB Rabideaux Nathan N Russell James M JM Stockhecke Mona M deMenocal Peter P Faith J Tyler JT Garcin Yannick Y Noren Anders A Scott Jennifer J JJ Western David D Bright Jordon J Clark Jennifer B JB Cohen Andrew S AS Keller C Brehnin CB King John J Levin Naomi E NE Brady Shannon Kristina K Muiruri Veronica V Renaut Robin W RW Rucina Stephen M SM Uno Kevin K

Science advances 20201021 43

Although climate change is considered to have been a large-scale driver of African human evolution, landscape-scale shifts in ecological resources that may have shaped novel hominin adaptations are rarely investigated. We use well-dated, high-resolution, drill-core datasets to understand ecological dynamics associated with a major adaptive transition in the archeological record ~24 km from the coring site. Outcrops preserve evidence of the replacement of Acheulean by Middle Stone Age (MSA) techn ...[more]

PMID: 33087353

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Project description:ImportanceDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many US states issued or revised pandemic preparedness plans guiding allocation of critical care resources during crises. State plans vary in the factors used to triage patients and have faced criticism from advocacy groups due to the potential for discrimination.ObjectiveTo analyze the role of comorbidities and long-term prognosis in state triage procedures.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study used data gathered from parallel internet searches for state-endorsed pandemic preparedness plans for the 50 US states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico (hereafter referred to as states), which were conducted between November 25, 2021, and June 16, 2023. Plans available on June 16, 2023, that provided step-by-step instructions for triaging critically ill patients were categorized for use of comorbidities and prognostication.Main outcomes and measuresPrevalence and contents of lists of comorbidities and their stated function in triage and instructions to predict duration of postdischarge survival.ResultsOverall, 32 state-promulgated pandemic preparedness plans included triage procedures specific enough to guide triage in clinical practice. Twenty of these (63%) included lists of comorbidities that excluded (11 of 20 [55%]) or deprioritized (8 of 20 [40%]) patients during triage; one state's list was formulated to resolve ties between patients with equal triage scores. Most states with triage procedures (21 of 32 [66%]) considered predicted survival beyond hospital discharge. These states proposed different prognostic time horizons; 15 of 21 (71%) were numeric (ranging from 6 months to 5 years after hospital discharge), with the remaining 6 (29%) using descriptive terms, such as long-term.Conclusions and relevanceIn this cross-sectional study of state-promulgated critical care triage policies, most plans restricted access to scarce critical care resources for patients with listed comorbidities and/or for patients with less-than-average expected postdischarge survival. This analysis raises concerns about access to care during a public health crisis for populations with high burdens of chronic illness, such as individuals with disabilities and minoritized racial and ethnic groups.

Dataset Information

Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution.

Publications

Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution.

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